Here is the Team USA roster (listed alphabetically by position, with an asterisk after the players who were named to the roster June 16):
Forwards (14)
Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild
Cole Caufield, Monreal Canadiens
Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets
Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights*
Jake Guentzel, Tampa Bay Lightning
Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
Clayton Keller, Utah Mammoth
Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs*
J.T. Miller, New York Rangers
Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars
Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators*
Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers*
Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres
Although general manager Bill Guerin said he will "start from scratch" with this roster, it's clear there will be similarities to the one from the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, when the U.S. lost to Canada 3-2 in overtime in the final. There will also be changes, though, and room for an additional forward and defenseman with 25-player Olympic rosters compared to 23 players for 4 Nations. Newcomers at forward include Keller, who last month captained the U.S. to its first IIHF World Championship since 1933, Thompson, Caufield and Robertson. Chris Kreider of the Anaheim Ducks, Brock Nelson of the Colorado Avalanche and Vincent Trocheck of the Rangers were subtracted. The U.S. will need more scoring to win its first Olympic gold in men's ice hockey since 1980. This should be a deeper group than the one that had eight of its 12 total goals come from Guentzel (three), Brady Tkachuk (three) and Matthew Tkachuk (two) at 4 Nations. Thompson, who scored the overtime winner in the world championship gold medal game, led all U.S.-born players with 44 goals this season. Keller was third among U.S.-born players with 90 points (30 goals, 60 assists). Caufield had 37 goals, and Robertson rebounded from a slow start after missing the preseason to recover from foot surgery to get 80 points (35 goals, 45 assists). The coaching staff needs to find a better way to utilize Connor, who led all U.S.-born players with 41 goals this season but was dropped to the fourth line at 4 Nations before being a healthy scratch in the final.
Defensemen (8)
Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild
Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks*
Seth Jones, Florida Panthers
Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins*
Brett Pesce, New Jersey Devils
Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators
Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
Having Hughes, who was a finalist for the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman again this season after winning it last season, after he missed 4 Nations with an injury will strengthen this group, which was already solid. Werenski could've been one of the first six players named after he also was a Norris finalist this season and helped the U.S. win gold at the world championship. Slavin and Faber were a dependable shutdown pair at 4 Nations, so keeping them together makes sense. Jones played his way onto the team and proved he's still a top defenseman after being traded by the Chicago Blackhawks to the Panthers and helping them repeat as Stanley Cup champions. He replaces Adam Fox of the Rangers from 4 Nations. Pesce, a right-handed shot who plays a defense-first game, also was added in place of Noah Hanifin of the Golden Knights, a lefty, to give the corps an equal number of lefties (Hughes, Slavin, Werenski, Sanderson) and righties (McAvoy, Faber, Jones, Pesce).
Goalies (3)
Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins
The U.S. has enviable depth in net and any of these three -- or someone not on this list -- could be the starter by the time they get to the Olympics. Hellebuyck, the incumbent No. 1 from 4 Nations, won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goalie for the third time and the Hart Trophy as the League's most valuable player this season, so he seems a lock to make the team. But Oettinger could stake a claim to the starting job after besting Hellebuyck when the Stars defeated the Jets in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season. Swayman, a returnee from 4 Nations like Hellebuyck and Oettinger, had a down season with the Bruins (22-29-7, 3.11 goals-against average, .892 save percentage, four shutouts) but rebounded at the world championship (7-0-0, 1.69 GAA, .921 save percentage, two shutouts). Thatcher Demko of the Canucks could push his way onto the roster if he can stay healthy after dealing with injuries the past two seasons. Maple Leafs goalies Anthony Stolarz and Joseph Woll, Joey Daccord (Seattle Kraken) and rookie Dustin Wolf (Calgary Flames) also are candidates.
